Cohort Studio MembershipsBrowse the tabs below for more information on the cohorts. Use the registration form below to join.

One of the overarching goals of Jungian and Archetypal studies is to understand how to come into a deeper relationship with the full psyche, especially the unconscious, and to work toward nurturing that relationship. Dreams, Active Imagination, and other forms of imaginal knowing are central to engaging and nurturing a fuller relationship to the psyche and, therefore, to overall wellness.

The dream work and imaginal knowing cohort works with dreams, active imagination sessions, and other forms of imaginal knowing, such as shamanic journeying or guided meditations. The meetings last for two hours, beginning with a talking-stick session in which a dream or other form of imaginal knowing can be shared. After this, the images will be worked with on an individual basis or in small groups, such as active imagination sessions or dream work (association, amplification, animation), with guidance from Temenos personnel if needed.

The dream work cohort will meet at 7:00 PM on the first Thursday of every month at the Temenos Center.

More and more research is proving that spending time in nature, especially walking in nature, is beneficial to overall physical and psychological health and wellness. Hilltending is an archetypal process that gives our relationship to the earth a central role and supports a broader approach to health and wellness for us and for the planet. Hilltending, as a soulful ecology, is a practice and philosophy that is equally at home in spirituality and science. It converses consciously with both the embodied world and the numinous, metaphorical, and poetic depths of the psyche; the consideration of the earth is a consideration of the psyche, and vice-versa. In the Hilltending Cohort, our relationship to nature will be deepened as we intentionally engage the natural world and unconscious psychological structures, known as the archetypes. By nurturing a balanced view of the earth in this way, we will find improved health and wellness and be better able to fully understand the precious and precarious that endows all life with meaning.

The soulful ecology cohort will be meeting outdoors once a month for engaging in Hilltending practices. The cohort will meet every first Saturday of the month from 9 to 11 AM, location may vary. After a brief introduction to Hilltending practices, we will move into the natural world to engage and deepen our relationship with nature. Afterwards, there will be time for discussion and sharing of experiences.

There are different ways of engaging with Jungian and Archetypal studies. Some are called more to experiential, embodied practices, while some feel more called to the intellectual or philosophical understanding and wish to discuss how they are manifested in their lived experience. Where the other cohorts are focused on the experiential aspects, this cohort focuses on the educational and intellectual understanding of the core concepts of Jungian and Archetypal Studies and will feature a short and focused introductory talk (or other media such as film), on a specific topic. This will be followed by group discussion where participants are invited to explore what these concepts mean to them conceptually or in their own lived experience.

This cohort will meet the second Thursday of every month at 7:00 PM at the Temenos Center.

The psyche is inherently creative. She wants to experience and express herself into the world through images, visual, written, acted out. A deep form of creativity from the unconscious can be tapped into through what Jung called “visionary creativity.” Jung said that in this form of creativity the artist “is seized, his pen writes things that his mind contemplates with amazement.” This is a phenomenon of the collective unconscious that takes on a life of its own outside of the consciousness; it is an “unborn work in the psyche of the artist,” which Jung calls a “force of nature.” In short, creation (and experience) of art allows content from the unconscious to emerge into conscious awareness where it can be worked with and expressed into the world. The invisible becomes visible and better prepares us to engage in a fuller and more meaningful life. Art and creativity bring our shared experience closer to every individual. It builds community. As any artist will confirm, creativity, especially the visionary form, is an archetypal imperative. Experiencing art and creativity in this way is therapeutic in that it meets the psyche on its own ground, with room for adaptability to changing tastes and worldviews and provides a more authentic framework for creative expression.

This cohort will strive to nurture this form of creativity through contemplative practices and active imagination, followed by creative time in which participants can paint, sketch, write, or express their visionary creativity in whatever medium they feel called to. Work space and some materials will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own materials in order to be able to work in their preferred medium. This cohort will meet the third Thursday of every month at 7:00 PM at the Temenos Center. Due to the extra space required for the work spaces, this cohort is limited to 8 participants.

The Temenos Center cohorts are cohesive groups studying or working intently with specific concepts and practices, such as dream work or soulful ecology. With the exception of the Core Concepts Cohort, these groups are mostly experiential, working with practices, such as active imagination or Hilltending, to deepen the soulful life. The cohorts consist of no more than 12 participants (certain cohorts are smaller), and are facilitated or moderated by Temenos personnel (who will also actively participate!). Each cohort meets once a month.

One of the primary goals of The Temenos Center is to encourage and nurture a more soulful life in harmony with Psyche. The Cohorts serve this purpose by providing space to engage Jungian and Archetypal concepts on a deeper level. They are meant to support us in our engagement with Psyche, either in our own life or in our working with others in caring and helping vocations.

The cohorts will be facilitated and guided by Temenos personnel (and occasional guest speakers), but after a loose framing in Jungian and Archetypal concepts, and discussion rounds to begin and end the meetings, the format and content of the cohorts will be adapted to the needs of the group by the cohort itself.

All cohort members agree that this type of work is a contemplative and sacred act to be deeply honored and held with confidentiality. Everyone should feel safe to share within the cohort. Ridiculing, harmful criticism or such will not be allowed. Anyone violating this only rule will be removed from the cohort with no refund. Building this trust of course takes some time. For this reason, the cohort’s journey will begin slowly with a de-personalized introduction to the concepts and practices of the cohort. Participants are also encouraged to attend one of our free introductory sessions through the Grand Rapids Jungian, Archetypal, and Mythological Meetup. During the introductory phase, there will be brief introductory talks relevant to the specific cohort, work in small groups of two or three, and voluntary discussion and sharing.

Cohort membership fee: $5.00 per month, and $15.00 per month per cohort (you can participate in as many Cohorts as you wish). Cohort membership also includes a 10% discount to other Temenos events and services, as well as access to the members directory for social networking.

The Cohort membership fee is $5.00 per month, and $15.00 per month per cohort (you can participate in as many Cohorts as you wish. You must select at least one when registering). Cohort membership also includes a 10% discount to other Temenos events and services, as well as access to the members directory for social networking.

Archetypal and Mythic Evenings

Come and join us on Thursdays at 7:00pm for our Archetypal and Mythic evenings. These group evenings engage many topics to deepen the soulful life, such as art and creativity, mythological studies, and archetypal work with popular culture, such as film and literature.